Labeling-machine.



Patented lan. I6, |900. J. MAcLEAN. LABELING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1899.)

No. 641,3n.

3 Sheets-Sheet I,

(No Model.)

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LABELING MACE-HNE.

(Application led Mar. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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LABELING MACHINE. (Application filed Mar. 8, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

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HQ WAMINGTDN D L UNITED STATES PATENT 1 EErcE.

JAMES MACLEAN, QF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LABELlNe-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,311, dated January16, 1906. Application filed March 8, 1899. Serial No. 708,247. (Nomodel.)

To LZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MACLEAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Labeling-Machines, of which the following, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a speciflcation.

My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of parts of amachine adapted to automatically cause labels to be spread with anadhesive and applied to a bottle, jar, can, or other article, as may bedesired, the object being to make a cheap, exact, and rapid workingautomatic machine for labeling all kinds of utensils. This object Iattain by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a-front elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is a rear View of mymachine, a part being represented as cut out to exhibit more clearly theconstruction. Fig. 3 is a plan of my invention; Fig. 4, details; Fig. 5,details of label-box; Fig. 6, a section of pneumatic apron. A

In the drawings the frame of the machine is indicated by A. The casing Bis secured to the frame bystandards A' A2 and contains a box B' for thelabels and a smaller compartment C for holding the paste or otheradhesive matter.

I will now describe the device for taking the labels from the label-boxB', carrying them to the paste device, and then to the bottle or can orother article to which they are to be affixed. (See Fig. 2.)

The labels L are placed in the sliding-box B', which rests upon a springS, or, if desirable, mechanically-operated screws may be substituted forthe spring. The labels are held in place by spring-wires E, which restlightly on them. A label-carrier D has upon its under side a roughenedsurface or shortpointed pins, so as to engage with the labels. Thiscarrier has also projecting from its sides both to the front and to therear wires D4 D1, which serve to hold the label Hat while it is beingtaken from the box and carried over the wires E E' and thepasting-roller C' in the paste-box C. The label-carrier D has attachedto it a standard D' and a guide-rod D2. The carrier D, standard D', andguide D2 are rigidly connected to each other, so that the carrier cannottilt. Projecting from each end of the label-carrier are trunnions DB,which traverse in slots, as shown at F F' F2, Fig. 2, formed on theinside of the casing B. The lower slot F2 is so located as to admit thelabel-carrier to move (in the direction of the arrow) in the plane ofthe top label in the box, so as to slide the label over the paste-rollerand along the wires E to the point P-that is, to such a position thatthe front edge of the label will be caught between the bottle or can IIand the apron K. As soon as the label is taken by the apron K thelabel-carrier D begins to move back-that is, in a direction opposite tothe arrow; but in its back movement the trunnions D3 engage with theswitch-spring S' and are lifted so as to slide in the upper slot F, thuslifting the label-carrier and keeping it above the paste and above thelabel in the box at or near the rear end of the upper slot F. Across-slot F' unites it with the lower slot F2, thus allowing thelabel-carrier D to drop onto the labelthat is, to occupy the positionshown in Fig. 2. By allowing the label-carrier to drop onto the labelthe short pointed pins will penetrate the label to some extent, and thusbe sure to engage with it suflciently to cause it to move with thecarrier. The sliding labelbox B' is held normally by the cord` b andweight W in the position shown in Fig. 2; but whenl the label-carrier Dhas engaged with one of the labels and begins to move forward the wholebox will move with it, the weight W being very light, so that but slightforce will move it. This motion of the box will continue until the endB2 of the box comes in contact with the division C, this arrangementallowing time for the carrier to connect with the label.

Motion is given to the label-carrier by the crank-disk D14, actingthrough the adjustable crank-pin D13, link D12, pivot D11, arm D10,rocker-shaft D9, arm D8, pivot D7, link D, and pivot D1.

To assist in freeing the labels from the front edge of the box B', Ihave the following-described device, (see Fig. 5:) Two or more veryfinely threaded screws V V are IOO placed in the box in such a mannerthat the labels will engage with the screw-threads, so that the turningof the screws will lift the labels-that is, the edge of the label thatis at the top will be forced above the edge of the boX, so as to slideover. The screws V V do not move lengthwise, but simply turnintermittently. These screws are turned by means of a moving rack T3,the teeth of which engage with the teeth of the pinion V3 and, actingthrough the said pinion and chain belt, cause the screws V V to rotate.The teeth T3 of the rack and the pinion V3 are so inclined thatthe rackin its back stroke will not cause the pinion to rotate, but will slideon it, the rotation being in one direction only.

The mechanism for automatically placing the bottles or other articles tobe labeled within the field of action of the labeling device properconsists of an inclined chute P', upon which the article H is placed andon which it will roll or slide down until it comes in contact with thefeed-roller P3, and as this feedroller rotates one set of arms P4 willtake the article (see Fig. l) and carry it up and over onto the table Rand force it along until it comes within the action of the moving apronsK' K and N3 N4,land both, moving in the direction of the arrow X,willcarry the article along, as will be explained. An intermittent action isgiven to the feed-roller P2 by a rack P3, which acts on theratchet-wheel P3. The upper end of the rack P3 is connected to an armextending from the standard D' by the pivot P. As the standard D' isattached to the label-carrier, it is evident that the forward motion ofthe feed-roller P2 will correspond in time with the motion of the label.Thus the label will be brought forward at the same time that the articleto be labeled will be, and as the aprons move forward the label will bepressed accurately and smoothly and the labeled article will be carriedforward between the aprons until it passes beyond the end of the upperapron and rests free upon the lower apron, from which it may be taken,or the continued movement of the lower apron will deliver the articleupon a table, chute, or other receptacle.

The endless moving aprons may be like simple wide belts of leather,canvas, felt, or

l rubber, if desired. For some kinds of work I use a pneumatic belt-thatis, a hollow elastic tube is inflated and used as a belt or movingapron; but I prefer to make them as shown in the drawingsthat is, chainbelts, as K and N3, are mounted upon sprocketwheels, and lag-pieces, asK and N4, are attached to the links.

The lower apron has two chain belts mounted upon sprocket wheels, likeN6 and N3. These sprocket wheels, two of each, are mounted upon theirrespective shafts N and N3, Fig. l. Lag-pieces N4 are attached tothelinks and extend across from one chain to the other, the length of thelag-piece being equal tothe width of the apron. These lag-pieces may becovered with some soft material, like felt or soft rubber. For ordinarywork the faces of the lag-pieces may be fiat, as shown in Figs. l, 2,and 3. The flat straight lags are adapted to be used for all articlesthat are cylindrical and rotate as they traverse between the aprons.They are also to be used with articles that present Hat surfaces andpass between the aprons without turning, in which case both of theaprons move with the same speed; but in case the article being Vlabeledis cylindrical and has to rotate then one of the4 aprons must movefaster than the other, or one apron may remain stationary. The upperapron is made in all respects like the lower one-that is, it hassprocket-wheels K2 K3, mounted upon shafts K4 and K3, chains K', andlag-piece K.

Motion is given to the aprons by the driving-pulley K6 on the shaft K4.(See Fig. l.) The motion is transmitted through the shaft K4 to thesprocket-wheels (one of which is shown at K3, Fig. l) on said shaft andthence to the upper apron and through the gears K7 K3, chain belt Klo,sprocket-wheel N, and shaft N to the lower apron. The relativevelocities of the upper and lower aprons may be changed by changing thesizeof the gears Kland K3.

In Fig. 4c I have shown in section two lagpieces, one, K, from the upperapron and one from the lower N4. These lag-pieces maybe made of anydesired section, so as to t any shaped bottle, can, or other article.

I claiml. In a labeling-machine, a label feeding and pasting mechanism,in combination with endless aprons provided with lags having faces thatunite to form a continuous working surface for the said aprons, the saidlags being so formed as to constituteV moving tables, the surfaces ofwhich conform to the shape of the bottle, whereby the label is presseddown so as to come in contact with the surface of the said bottlehowever irregular; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a labeling-machine a label-box adapted to hold the labels, alabelcarrier with mechanism for giving a reciprocating motion to thecarrier, trunnions upon said carrier adapted to work in ways, said Waysprovided with a switch whereby the carrier is forced to traverse in oneplane in its forward movement and to be lifted above said plane in itsbackward movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In alabeling-machine alabel-box alabelcarrier and two sets ofguiding-ways connected by cross-ways at their rear ends as describedwhereby the carrier at the end of its back stroke abruptly drops ontothe label, said carrier and mechanism for giving motion to it,substantially as and for the purpose set leo izo

forth. ff-

Weight, and adapted to be moved horizontally name to this speoiiioation,in the presence of to a limited degree by the label-carrier, theretwosubscribing Witnesses, on this 27th day of by allowing the label-carriertime to engage February, A. D. 1899.

with the label; and said label-carrier and JAMES MACLEAN. 5 mechanismfor operating the same; substan- Witnesses:

tially as and for the purpose set forth. J OTT GRANT,

In testimony whereof I have signed my ELIZABETH MACKINNON.

